Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 First-look Review

PLEASENOTE: This is a “first look” at the Panasonic Lumix LX3. It is based on just a few days with the camera. Longtime Photo.net programmer, writer, and photographer Patrick Hudepohl and I will be finishing a full review in a few weeks.

Where to Buy

Why I was initially interested in the LX3

Josh Root

I had been working on getting a review unit of this camera since almost the day it was announced as it had a number of features that caught my eye and made me think it might be a strong candidate for a serious photographer’s compact camera. A huge percentage of my photography happens in low light. Brewpubs, streets, concert halls, etc. So the relatively slow lenses of most compact cameras are of little use to me aside from “grip and grin” flash photos. But the Panasonic LX3 changes all of that with it’s f/2-2.8 lens and ISO 6400 option. But those were far from the only specs that put the LX3 on my “gotta review” cameras list:

24-60/2-2.8 equivalent lens
p. The 24-70mm range, while not as “extreme” as many other popular lenses these days, is a workhorse for me. I have said multiple times that if forced, I could do 90% of my photography work with just my Canon 24-70/2.8 L. Beyond that, the 24-70mm range encompasses much of my favorite photography of all time. A lot of that work was shot at f/2-2.8 (or even faster). Okay, so the LX3’s lens is a little short on the long end to meet my “ideal”, but a 24-60/2-2.8 lens is still pretty flipping cool. Especially given that there are very few compact cameras with a 24mm lens of any sort, much less one that is f/2.

TTL Hotshoe
p. Okay, to be honest, it’s not the TTL that interests me, since the TTL flash that Panasonic is currently offering is pretty big. The ability to have a little auto-flash that I could stuff in my coat pocket or even in my wife’s purse would open up worlds of photography for a camera like this.

Selectable Aspect Ratio
p. I found this to be a very interesting feature. Not only does it let you switch from 4:3 (standard point and shoot), to 3:2 (35mm film), and to 16:9 (hi def TV), the LX3 even has a dedicated physical switch that let’s you do it on the fly without digging through menus.

Josh Root

Nicely sized 1/1.63-inch CCD sensor, but with a reasonable 10.1MP output
p. The megapixel race is not something that is always good for image quality, particularly in small sensor cameras, crapping more pixels onto the sensor results in increased image noise and reduced image quality. However, the camera companies have got themselves stuck in the “more is better” loop for MP’s. They keep following each other and limiting image quality so they can say “we’ve got the most pixels!”. Surprisingly, Panasonic decided against that. While 10.1 is far from the smallest MP choice they could have made, it’s also quite reasonable today.

Optical Image Stabilization
p. This is always a nice feature to have in a camera. Unlike the electronic image stabilization that is offered in many smaller cameras, optical stabilization doesn’t degrade the image in any way.

Interesting accessories
p. For a camera of its size, the LX3 has a well thought out group of dedicated accessories, the most interesting being the 18mm (in 35mm equiv) wide angle lens, TTL flash unit, ND and polarizing filters, and a rangefinder-style metal optical shoe-mount viewfinder.

In use

Based on a few days of shooting with the LX3, here’s what I think so far. Please keep in mind that this is just a “first look” and my opinions may change as I spend more time using the camera.

Things I Like

First off, the f/2-2.8 lens speed is really great to have. It allows you to use faster shutter speeds in low light situations than the average small camera (and even many larger cameras). Perhaps more importantly, it allows you to use a lower ISO rating for a given situation if you wish. Lower is always better for digital camera ISO (with very few exceptions). The 24-60 zoom range is as wonderful as it ever is for me. However, I can’t say enough about the fact that I can use the 24mm wide end when shooting in a tight location. It is a “breath of fresh air” (to use a stupid old-school ‘review’ phrase) in a camera of this size. When I think about the size and weight of my Canon DSLR’s with a 24-70 attached, it is astounding that I can have the same thing in a camera the size of a pack of cigarettes. Okay, so it’s not really a fair comparison in terms of image quality, any DSLR will wipe the floor with any small-sensor camera. In terms of shutter speed and field of view, the LX3 has a lot to offer in a much smaller package than many other cameras multiple times it’s size.

ISO noise is really quite good for a small-sensor camera. Comparing it to other 10MP point and shoot cameras is a joke for the most part. Yes, there is noise in the higher ISO settings, but there is also detail. ISO 6400 is typically a joke on most compact cameras, but while not “clean and smooth” on the LX3, it is very usable. This is a big win for Panasonic. It’s one of the reasons that other camera companies should consider limiting the megapixels on a few of their “high level photographer” cameras.

The LX3’s handling is surprisingly good for a small camera. It feels like Panasonic had actual photographers involved with the design process, and not just a committee of engineers. The mode selection dial on the top of the camera is a nice touch and makes for quick changes. The “multi function joystick” is well designed and allows for easy navigation. A dedicated AE/AF lock button is a nice touch. And finally, the physical switched for aspect ratio and AF mode harkens back to the days when we didn’t have to mash buttons and scroll through menus to change a camera setting.

Speaking of the aspect ratio choice, I find it to be a pretty neat feature. Most compact cameras lock users into the 4:3 format, and for those of us who learned photography in the 35mm world, 4:3 can be annoying. Then again, there are times when that squat rectangle can be very useful. The 16:9 format, while in theory is based around HD video and associated TV’s, can operate like a decent panoramic format. The fact that none of these choices are simply crops of the 4:3 format (causing image quality loss) is a big bonus.

AF is decent in its standard mode—not blazingly fast, but not slow at all. However, another feature of the LX3 is the options that it gives for AF settings. The standard Face Detection and Multi-Area AF options are there. Single Area “high-speed” speeds up AF significantly by giving up use of a wider AF sensor pattern. Also, AF tracking is a neat option that allows you to set focus lock on an subject and the camera will track that subject and keep it in focus. I have only used it a little bit so far, but it appears to be accurate and useful, though one has to remember that there are limits to any small camera’s tracking ability. This isn’t a Canon EOS 1D MKIII.

Pressing and holding the “Multi Function joystick” for about a second and a half brings up the “Q-Menu”, which I assume is short for “quick menu”. It is just that—a quick way to access options like ISO, resolution, AF mode, white balance, and more. This works really well and the “joystick” aspect it is well designed and easy to control. I virtually never have to dig through any menus to access my most used settings.

Josh Root

Things I don’t Like

While I stand by my praise of the mode selection dial, the fact is that it is far too easy to spin. I frequently find it rolled to another mode setting when pulling it out of a pocket or case. This could cause someone to miss a great shot by being stuck in “manual” when you really needed to be in “program”. It’s an easy enough issue to fix, just make sure you check the mode dial every time when you pull the camera out. It’s also something that should have been designed better. The same can be said for the aspect ratio and AF switches. I have to keep track of them every so often to make sure they aren’t on a setting that will cause me trouble at an inopportune time.

The LX3’s physical “play/record” switch means that you can’t be reviewing images, see something happening in front of you, tap the shutter button so the camera jumps back into “record”, and then take the photo. You have to remember to move the switch from “play” back to "record. This is not a big deal, but it’s a bad move on Panasonic’s part. A vast majority of photographers have gotten used to being able to jump from “play” to “record” at the drop of a hat. I applaud Panasonic’s drive to create a more physical camera. In this instance, however, I think there could have been a better design.

The sensor is still a small sensor and on some level, the images look like small sensor P&S images. Yes, I said that the ISO noise and detail quality was very good, and it is. “Very good” for a small sensor camera is crap when compared to even just “mediocre” on a APS-C or full frame sensor. Thus far, the Sigma DP1 is the only compact camera that has a larger sensor in it. I realize that some of the very things I love about the LX3 (the side and fast lens) make it much more difficult to replicate the camera but with a large sensor in it. That doesn’t stop me from dreaming about it.

Josh Root

Dovetailing with the “it just isn’t a larger sensor camera” complaint, the LX3 is physically too big. Or is it too small? The LX3 is the kind of camera that a serious photographer wants to take everywhere. The fact is that with its protruding “lens barrel” it really isn’t a pocket-sized camera. I wear loose-fit jeans with decent sized pockets and it was still pretty bulky even in there. It’s also not big enough to be the kind of camera that needs its own bag. This is the size of camera that you would carry in your purse or fannypack (if you are the kind of person who carries either). I have been using a little Crumpler “Thirsty Al” gadget bag to strap the LX3 onto the outside of whatever bag or backpack I’m carrying that day. Or, I just stuff it in the diaper bag—that’s what manly photographers do.

Conclusion…for now

So far, I really enjoy using the Panasonic LX3 and am excited about its low noise and impressive image quality. The wide and fast lens is a joy to use. The controls are well designed and quick to operate. Heck, I haven’t even mentioned the HD video the LX3 is able to record. Overall, I find myself reaching for this camera whenever I get a chance. A few more weeks may uncover a few more flaws. Just based on what I have seen in my few days of use, I would have no trouble recommending this camera to any friend who was looking for something a little different than the rest of the compact cameras out there.

Finally, as I said before, keep an eye out for our full interview in a few weeks time.

Readers' Comments

Josh,
I grew up using cameras with viewfinders, and I can't seem to get away from the 'need' for one. I owned the LX3 for about 2 weeks. I agree with all the positive points you made about the camera. But I just could not get used to the lack of a viewfinder. I even tried using an add-on viewfinder attached to the hot shoe, but that was equally frustrating because I then knew I was limiting myself to one focal length.

For me, looking at the LCD screen to compose actually feels distracting. Holding the camera out away from my eye, and looking at the LCD instead of looking directly at the subject matter through a glass viewfinder seems more like watching television! I can't quite put my finger on the reason it feels this way, but it somehow feels much less 'photographic' than looking through a viewfinder. And trying to use the LCD with sunlight on it makes composing almost impossible.

For what amounts to be a compact-take-anywhere-carry-all-the-time camera, I think I would prefer a lower megapixel count in favor of better image quality. I think 6 megapixels is more than any compact camera needs. Yet we have these annoying megapixel wars. I wish there was a small sensor 6 MP camera that had a good fast lens such as LX3 and also had a very good ISO 800 and ISO 1600 performance. That would be more useful than more megapixels and top usable ISO being 400. As far as putting a larger sensor into these cameras, I am afraid it is a matter of simple physical dimensions. To have the same range zoom on a larger sensor camera would require a lot more glass from the lens (making a lot more expensive) and a lot more housing also. Next thing you know you are making an DSLR sized camera with a non-interchangeable lens and you are out of your target market segment.

I agree with Jamie. I bought a small panny FX3 and whilst it is an amazing little camera in many respects and the instant feed back of digital is addictive I do not like the LCDscreen and prefer a viewfinder.
A viewfinder seems to involve you more in the composition.

I am glad you picked this up. I purchased the D-LUX 4 a while back because I wanted a quality camera that I could have with me at all times. I have a full size Canon kit but at times you can't be so spontaneous with the pro gear. Everything I have heard is that the Panasonic and the leica are very similar in most regards. What sold me on the Leica is a photographer who has been documenting his D-LUX 3 and 4 as well as the Sigma DP1. You can view some of his D-LUX 4 photography at

http://www.boxedlight.com/dlux4/

I myself have been very pleased with this little gem - being a Leica the accessories are on the high side but I did splurge and get the leather carry case. It seems that some people have been able to use some of the Panasonic accessories on the Leica if that is a concern of some folks. I am interested in the hot shoe mounted viewfinder but the Leica version is $300.00 or so and the Panasonic is much less.
I look forward to seeing your detailed review in the next few weeks. I do have some of my sample photos here in my gallery. Please feel free to view.

While I share the preference for an optical VF, I am happy with my LX-3. Every camera is a compromise these days and at least I can fit an optical VF on the hotshoe. I find I use my P&S cameras at their maximum field of view at least 80% of the time, so the extra-wide lens is great, too. It's ashame the mode dial doesn't lock - I can't understand how these things get out in the real world when a flaw like that should be noted in a prototype test.

More of a concern to me is the lack of a non-proprietary battery option. My previous Olympus SP-350 (loved it so much I bought two) could sorta use AAs and was happy enough with a lithium CR-V3 (which has the benefit of long shelf life). I travel a lot and end up in places with no electricity now and then.

As I understand it, the only difference between the Panny and Leica is in image processing (slight difference but note the "controversy" about both cameras processing-out the barrel distortion at 24mm) and warranty. That is, they are physically the same camera and AFAIK, all the Panny accessories fit the Leica (and vice versa, not that it would make sense).

While the Sigma DP-1 has a larger sensor, image results have not been so good as to make up for its shortcomings and cost. The Canon G10 is a brick - nice camera - but as big as a DSLR body and probably the same volume as an Oly E-420 with pancake 25mm, The LX-3 is simply the best compromise on the market - for my uses - at the moment. -SteveP

I am a habitual rangefinder user and not that keen on Digital. I have a Dynax 7D because I still (thankfully) have a few great Minolta lenses but in truth can't be bothered lugging lots of kit around. That's why I enjoy Leica photography and the new Bessa R4M is fantastic with its ultra-wide frame lines.

There are times, though, when a PS digital is handy and for years I used the excellent Canon G3 although that too was rather bulky. The Panasonic LX3 really fits the bill for me. I am hugely impressed by the build quality - one reason I am not so keen on digital is the heavy use of plastics by most manufacturers and the metal LX3 is wonderful to feel and use. It is also more ergonomic than the DLux 4 with its excellent integral handgrip (whose presence, by the way, means that the more commonly available leather DLux 4 case cannot be used with the LX3). The lens is wonderful and the combination of 24mm equivalent at the wide end with F/2 aperture is brilliant. The zoom may be tight with a 60mm equivalent at top end but that is great for portraits and F2.8 is still good enough for low light portraits at ISO 400 (or 800 at a pinch). The screen, with 460K pixels is a revelation for me. Like others I am not keen on the outstretched arm squinting approach to composition, not least because I have to put my glasses on, but the screen is the most useful I've come across for daylight shooting (although I imagine the new 960K SLR ones are even better). I also have a (now otherwise redundant, courtesy of the R4M) Voiglander 21mm viewfinder, which fits snugly on the LX3 hot-shoe. It's a little wide, of course, but the lower parallax line on the upper frame approximates to 24mm so I can use it OK. Yes, I have inadvertently cropped one shot with this set-up but that's not critical.

I find the controls on this little camera very intuitive and do not mind having to switch into display mode and back again for shooting - the Fn button can always be programmed for display so this is not an issue for me. The EV adjustement is a breeze too. To my mind the image quality is first rate. Like others I applaud Panasonic's decision to restrain the pixel count. I shoot in raw but have eschewed Silky Pix for ACR, which works for the rw2 files in the latest upgrade.

I am truly impressed by this little machine. An optical VF would be nice but the ergonomics would then change and I doubt it would be pocketable. The ability to use an external VF via the hot-shoe is fine for me (I rarely use flash) and the inclusion of a Leica designed fast wide optic makes this a no brainer as far as I'm concerned. I think it will become a classic, not unlike the low-light Fujifilm F30 (which my daughter went and lost) which can now only be found second hand at more than its original new price!

I really do not understand all the talk about the LX3 not having a viewfinder. (not so much in this thread, but in general)
It has no viewfinder. Anybody can see that. If you need a viewfinder, so why comment on a review of a camera not having one ?
I own a LX3 and a D300.
I like my D300. It has a nice viewfinder.
I like my LX3. It has a nice LCD.

Nice "First Look". I've been out of photography for a while, only rarely snapping a pic on the SD20. Or more often handing it to someone else since it's very easy for me to pocket that, and it's quite a bit better than a cell-phone camera. I found out Lithium batteries don't last anywhere near 10years on the shelf. My stockpile of Energizer 2CR5 were dead after about 3 years. They were used for my film EOS bodies though it has not been a big deal. Still love film, call me crazy.

Oh I'm posting because I just bought one of these!! An AA battery option would have been nice. I won't complain about the lack of a optical viewfinder because if they had it I'm sure it would be pathetic... save the space and save the environment. I hopefully will get the 5DmkII or mkIII or mkIV and it will have a 'viewfinder'.

I have not received the camera yet, but I'm pretty excited that this camera was made, and I think it's just a little ironic that Panasonic did it.

I was waiting for LX3 since Aug, but it was not availabe in Canada in October before I left for China trip. Instead I used R5 with ElmaritR19; but this combo was too heavy for me on ascending Mount Taishan, I left behind in hotel below. If R5 + ElmaritR19 was too heavy for me for mountain trips, then EOS 5D+ElmaritR19 might be even heavier. Since I still plan to visit Wudan Mountain, Sanqing Mountain
Wuyi Mountain and Lushan Mountain, I think the compact LX3
will suit me best, althought 24mm is not as wide as 19mm, I may
consider adding a Nikon or Panasonic 0.7x wide angle conversion
lens to get 17mm. I have put in an order for a black LX3, probably
will get it sometimes next week.

I saw LX3 in Shanghai Nanjing Road department store, about 10% more
than US price.

I just wish the LX3 could display the image upside-down, like a real camera.

Ha ha... good one... ... but with the 4x5 you can use the cloth so you become embedded in the view finder. I think I see a new use for the turbin or scarf and the LX3.

Seriously, I like composing in a viewfinder. In the studio you don't have to deal with bright sunlight or other weather factors. I've adapted a bit with the SD20, and really look forward to using the LX3, but will also be looking forward to the day of the viewfinder, a nice clear, bright, sharp, FF, viewfinder.

After studying specs for Lumix LX3, Canon G10, Nikon P6000 and Sigma DP1, I finally decided to purchase the Lumix LX3. I'm very happy and feels lucky on my decision.

Most of the shots taken in-house were taken at 1/4 sec, 1/5 sec, 1/8 sec at f/2.0 without flash used in Manual and Aperture priority modes.

I have noted following issues with Lumix LX3:
1. No external shutter release mechanism (either wireless or wire). Could have taken much shaper shots using a tripod if there was an external shutter release mechanism.
2. Low capacity battery. I had to purchase another battery as one battery does not last a day of photography on a tour.

I can propose following improvements for Lumix LX3:
1. Allow ISO also to be controlled via joy stick in Manual, Aperture and Shutter priority modes.
2. Offer DNG raw format also and let the user choose the raw format.
3. Allow HD video to be recorded in a raw format without any further processing.

Pansonic LUMX LX3 leather case(DMW-CLX3) arrived today. It iis not a DLUX4 style pouch case, it is a ever ready case of two piece construction, the body piece and the cover piece. The body piece is like
a half case, but with a large rectangular cutout at the back for LCD screen and control access.;the cover piece is attach to the body piece but two snap buttons, and must be removed to use the camera for shooting. It is handy for carrying the camera round with neckstrap. But I am afraid that the cover piece could be lost easily. It seems to me
the DLUX case may be more convenient to use.

Panasonic makes a 0.7x wide angle conversion lens DMW LW46 for LX3 to convert 24mm into 18mm. From my experience with LW55, I know that Panasonic makes terrific wide angle conversion lenses. Very sharp across the field, not visible light fall off.,some amount of
barrel distortion is expected, but can be completely fixed by lens distortion correction software. Amazon sells DMW LW46 for $140, but ship only to USA address. B&H sells it for $144.95, ship internationally
, hence I ordered one from B&H. Forget the price on ebay. With LX3 + LW46, I will leave Elmarit R19 at home.

According to discussion on flickr, the LX3 screen shows only jpeg picture on the screen even shooting in RAW mode, and the jpeg file is processed by LX3 firmware to reduce barrel distortion, thus the RAW file
shows a lot more barrel distortion than jpeg file.

The case might not be a bad idea to improve the grip. Martin, how about posting a shot from the back so we can see accessability of the controls? Does the bottom half fit snugly so as not to slide off? Thx.

Sam the case fits snugly with the LX3 camera and tighten with a tripod screw. I use the case exactly because it provides better grip for the slim camera body, particularly I intend to attach a wide angle converter
DMW LA4 to it. The LA4 ordered from B&H have not arrive yet, (I don't know why they do not provide tracking number )

My Panasonic DMW LW46 wide angle conversion lens arrived from B&H, it looks great on the LX3, much more compact than my FZ30 + LW55 conversion lens. From now on LX3+ LW46 and FZ30 will be
my set up for travel, the LX3+LW46 provides me with 18mm wide angle
lens, that is full 90 degrees from edge to edge, anything from my right (or left) to infinity will be covered; while the FZ30 with its finer control and heavier body provides me with steady shots at 420mm, great for capturing details of architecture.

When attach the wide angle conversion lens LW46, the LX3 manual option must be set to "Conversion lens" ON, this locks the lens at
24mm position, the zoom lever than has no effect. With LW46 attached,
the internal flash is also disabled. (because the large attachement diameter blocks the flash at bottom of picture. I am not sure whether
third party flash can be used. The LX3 user manual warns against using third party flash, because some of them has high voltage trigger . I tested my Rollei X100 flash, the contact points indeed has 70 volts
across, and it may toast the camera.

"I really do not understand all the talk about the LX3 not having a viewfinder. (not so much in this thread, but in general) It has no viewfinder. Anybody can see that. If you need a viewfinder, so why comment on a review of a camera not having one ? "

You're right, we should be discussing this on the review pages of all the fine pocketable digital rangefinders. Wait, that's right, there isn't even one. Well, the G10 & Nikon P6000 come closest. The former is not truly pocketable and the latter is just not that good. Maybe the GX200 with its EVF, but I haven't tried it. Arms-length screen-based composition is fine for inanimate subjects, but blows for either changing or moving things, IMHO. But the LX3 is a fine camera in every OTHER way almost. Natural for users to comment on how it falls short, which happens to be a feature, rather than a specific performance area.

Has anybody tried the optional optical viewfinder? Can you use it to view your objects from different angles? For example can it be useful if you need to make an over-the-head or at-the-waist shot? I wish the LX3 had a vari-angle LED screen but then it may add bulk and cost to this camera.

http://photo.net/photos/hermanvdc
I was in Istanbul with the LX3 and the Oly E510! I did shoot just 1 piture with the Olympus and 500 with the LX3!! By the way the flash sl 36 from olympus works perfectly with the LX3.
Herman